Many parents are
all too familiar with the challenges of
motivating our children to turn off the television or video game and
get outside and play. If you're like me you might even regret
purchasing that silly video console which turns into a handy
babysitter. Childhood races by so fast.
We
only have one chance to
teach our children the value of healthy habits.
Some ideas for creating more options to play and
enjoy sports:
- Contact your local school. Take advantage of sports programs
offered by your local school and sign up to play! School-based sports
is a terrific way for children to get involved in sports at
an
early age. If programs are limited, work with the school board or PTA
to develop a program for the next season.
- Research programs offered by your local park district. Park
districts are a great resource for organized sports programs and
activities. They offer a wide variety of classes that can augment
involvement in school-based sports and keep your children active
year-round.
- Call local sports teams to learn about programs they offer.
Many
College sports organizations including the NCAA and its teams,
host special clinics, camps and tournaments run by coaches and players.
Contact local colleges to learn about dates and times of these
activities
or check your local newspapers for ads and information.
- Contact local YWCA/YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs or other
youth
organizations. These community-focused organizations sponsor a number
of competitive and recreational leagues. Often, these leagues are
organized to meet the needs of a variety of skill and age levels.
- Take a lesson. Individual and group lessons are an ideal way
to
learn the basics or improve skills. Consider enrolling the entire
family in a group lesson as a way to integrate sports into family life.
- Sign up for a summer camp. Contact summer camps specializing
in a
specific sport instruction. Camps are a great place to learn about
teamwork Consider enrolling with friends to make it more fun.
- Team up with parents coaches and teachers. Work together to
inspire girls and boys to participate in a wide range of activity and
ensure
your community offers sufficient programming. Networking is an
effective way to identify opportunities to get involved.
- Join a health club. Health club memberships offer the
flexibility
to engage in numerous physical activities such as aerobics and
swimming. In addition, many clubs offer private instruction.
- Enroll in Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts or other similar
organizations. These
community-based, child-focused organizations can play an important role
in motivating youngsters to participate in health-related fitness
activities
that build motor skills for a lifetime of activity.
- Check out books and videos from the library.
Libraries
are
home
to
thousands of books and
videos
on almost every sport. You can pick up books and videos on sports
instruction, or even books that showcase the careers of players.
Teaching our little ones the value of exercise
and healthy eating will help them enjoy long and healthy
lives! Making exercise a part
of our daily family time helps us all. And daily exercise helps the
little ones sleep better at night!
Don't
forget
to
feed them a healthy breakfast
before
you
send
them
off to school. Feed them the essential
vitamins and nutrients they'll need throughout the day.
Make sports and exercise a regular part of your day. Help
your child discover and
learn the value of physical activity. Encourage them to exercise and
play sports - every day! Let them decide what they most enjoy and
it will become a healthy and fun part of their daily lives!
Homework and study
time are vital to a child's growth and grades. A healthy balance
between school-work and play is also important. Studies show factors
other than time spent on school subjects may also contribute to
academic success. Recent studies have shown that physical activity has
a positive effect on academic performance.